


Intimidation Game

by Salmon_I



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Livengood is a jerk basically, M/M, power abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 10:24:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20424416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmon_I/pseuds/Salmon_I
Summary: "I'm not." Adrian told him."You're not? You have five kilos of an illegal substance in one of your surfboards, which you were planning to take over international lines, but you aren't trafficking?""... I think I should talk to a lawyer.""Oh, I'm sure you should." Livengood agreed, but didn't move or say anything more."I mean, now. I want to talk to a lawyer now." It didn't seem like something he should need to explain, but Livengood still wasn't moving."I feel we should finish our little chat first." Was the reply.





	Intimidation Game

**Author's Note:**

> Set Post s3, pre s4 - right after Adrian's scene at the airport.

  
At first, Adrian was glad when they left him alone. After being brought to the office, and searched. After being made to sit and watch as the surfboard was brought in, and opened right in front of him. He wondered if he could play dumb - claim to have been unaware the drugs were inside. The board was too heavy, though - just like he'd told Jack - and he doubted they'd buy the excuse. His history would make it obvious it wouldn't have flown under his radar. Competitive Surfing; surfboard repair. No, no one would believe he didn't know.

He'd heard dozens of sayings about ticking clocks, but he'd never actually paid attention to one before. After a while, though, it felt like the sound of the clock on the wall was all he could hear.

Deran was going to be furious with him for this. He'd known he wouldn't be happy he agreed to work for Jack - but getting caught? He wasn't even certain what the charge would be. Somehow the length of sentence getting caught would bring had never come up in Jack and his conversations. Fuck Jack, anyway. Easy money his ass.

Tick tock. Tick tock. It wasn't actually a tock, he decided. It was just Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Like an annoying little insect that never shut up. Despite the clock on the wall, he realized he had no idea how long it had been. Ten minutes? Thirty? What were they waiting for?

A part of him wanted to stand. Pace. Just move, but he wasn't certain he was allowed to move from the chair. He didn't need to get himself into more trouble. He stayed seated, as the minutes continued to pass.

He wasn't certain what came next - would they just cart him off to the nearest police station to process him? When would he be allowed to make a phone call - that was how it worked, right? He got a phone call? Who would he call? Deran? He winced at the notion. That would be humiliating, and what could he do for him, anyhow? Would he even know? Deran didn't get caught. He had, though, once. But that had been auto theft - not drug trafficking. He could call Jess, which was only slightly less horrifying to consider, but who he knew would help him figure out the next step.

The chair hadn't been comfortable from the start, but it only grew worse as time passed and the desire to move worsened. He was starting to get thirsty, though he suspected the tightness in his throat was also from nerves.

He jumped when the door opened, allowing in a suited man he didn't recognize from earlier. He had a cup of water and a set of folders with him. He took his place on the other side of the long table, taking a sip of his water before opening the top folder.

Adrian couldn't help but moisten his own lips in response as the man glanced through the papers without even looking at him.

"Adrian Dolan." He finally spoke.

"Yea-" He began, but was quickly cut off.

"Born and schooled in Oceanside. Competitive surfer, former employee at a surfboard repair shop. Your file is a pretty dry read. There is a couple speeding tickets, but they're actually all paid. On time even. No major outstanding debts." The man looked up at him. "Tell me, how does someone with such an empty history end up in a drug trafficking ring?"

He wasn't even sure what to respond to that.

"You don't seem like an addict. Are you?"

"Who are you?" He finally managed to ask.

The suited man gave him a smile that didn't feel the least bit pleasant. "Sorry. Maybe I jumped ahead a bit. You seem a little lost, so I'm guessing you're pretty new at this. My name is Detective Livengood. I work for the DEA - that's the Drug Enforcement Administration. I've been trying to track down a ring based here in Oceanside that's been smuggling to other countries. You are the best break I've had in months." He took a sip from his water cup again, and Adrian couldn't help but track the motion, his own mouth feeling dry. Livengood seemed to note it, and smiled again. "So, how long have you been part of this trafficking ring?"

"I'm not." Adrian told him.

"You're not? You have five kilos of an illegal substance in one of your surfboards, which you were planning to take over international lines, but you aren't trafficking?"

"... I think I should talk to a lawyer."

"Oh, I'm sure you should." Livengood agreed, but didn't move or say anything more.

"I mean, now. I want to talk to a lawyer now." It didn't seem like something he should need to explain, but Livengood still wasn't moving.

"I feel we should finish our little chat first." Was the reply.

Adrian stared at him. "If I'm under arrest don't I get-"

"Adrian - do you mind if I call you Adrian? - you're not under arrest."

"I'm not?"

"No, at least not yet. Right now you've just been detained for questioning. What happens next is up to you."

"Meaning what?"

"Well, you are in possession of an illegal substance, and you tried to cross a border with it. I can have you booked, placed in jail to await trial. Trafficking is a federal offense. You'll get a pretty hefty sentence for that. But I'm a reasonable guy, and your file suggests this isn't something normal for you. So I want to give you a chance."

"A chance for what?"

"To go free. I don't want you. I want the people who gave you that surfboard. You give me them, and you walk."

"Look, I don't know anything. I can't help you."

"Now, I'm sure that's not true." Livengood rose slowly from his seat, picking up the water cup and coming to stand beside him. "I'm sure you can help me a lot. After all, these guys trusted you once. As long as you actually make your delivery, I'm sure they'd trust you again. The more they trust you, the more you can help me."

"You want me to spy on them." Adrian translated. "I can't do that."

Livengood drank the rest of the water, crumpling the paper cup and dropping it in the trash can by the door. "Why don't I let you think about it?"

The door closed behind him, leaving Adrian alone again. The clock on the wall continued to keep time.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

**Author's Note:**

> There's one thing I feel AK does very well, starting in season one with the treatment of Alexa and J and continuing through Smurf's arrest, is show abuse of authority. It consistently shows how easily people's rights are violated by people who have power.
> 
> To me, that's what I see in Adrian's situation in season four as well. I don't believe for one moment Adrian was allowed to see a lawyer, make a phone call, or leave that room after his arrest before he agreed to Livengood's terms. AK is cops vs robbers and the cops are distinctly not the good guys. The Codys are no angels, but they're practically model citizens vs people like Livengood, Pearce, and Yates.


End file.
